Starting mechanism for explosive-engines.



-H. L. MEEDERL- STARTING MECHANISM FOR EQXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED M111, 1912.

1,055,550, Patnted Mar. 11,1913.

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1.2. Meade/g Q= QX i/tweooao a: ar/QM 71 v a tic-pump H. L. MEEDER. STARTING, MECHANISM ron EXPLOSIVE snemns. APfLICATION FILED MAR.11,191 2. 1,055,550, I Patented Mar. 11,1913.

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.H'E R ERT 'L. MEEDER, F coUNorLrLnFFjs;Iowa;

STARTING MECHANISM msnxrtoswamemns.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. Manors, aj

' I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains. to make and use the same.

v This invention relates to improvements in starting devices for explosive engines. I

The obj ects'of the invention are to'provide an improved fluid pressure cranking mechanism for the engine shaft; to provide improved means for controlling the supply of the fluid pressure medium to the cranking device and its exhaust therefrom; and' to provide means for simultaneously priming the engine cylinder, starting the cranking mechanism and connecting the same with the engine shaft.

lVith the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View partly in section of the front portion of an automobile showing the invention in position thereon; Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical section of the starting mechanism; 3 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 1s a cross sectional view on the line 4-4: of Fig. 3 showing the rear side of the cran'king gear;

- Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through the air controlling valve of the starting mechanism. Fig. 6 is a front view of the supporting plates for the air cylinders of the'starting mechanism showing the latterbroken away and the cranking shaft in section. v v I My improved starting mechanism is herein shown and described as being applied t-o the. shaft of. anmnton ileengine and said mechanism comprises'a pair of air or fluid: pressure cylinders Land 2 which are, spaced a suitable distance apart and are here shownas being secured'to and supported by brack ets 3 on the side bars 4 or other suitableipart of the automobile frame. The cylinders have connected to their outer ends branch' air or fluid conducting pipes 5 which connec t Specification of Letters Patent. Application fi1ed.March 1 1,. '191 2L Serial No.

Bluffs, in the county of Pottawatt-a' parts hereinafter described Patented Mar; 11,1213. 682,908.

with the main air-or fluid conducting. pipe 6 leading to a compressed airor fluid tank. The pipe 6 has arranged therein an air controlling valve which will be hereinafter de a cylindrical socket 7 on an outer gear supporting plate ner end of the cylinder 2 gage the teeth on the upper and lower sides projected by the admission of compressed air to the cylinders 1 and 2 the rack bars will revolve the gear 11 in the proper direction for cranking the engine shaft as will be hereinafter more fully described. The gear 11 is loosely mounted in the space between the recessed plates 8 and 10 on the hub 15 of a ratchet wheel or gear 16f'a'rranged in the rear side of the cranking-gear 11, said cranking gear being provided .in its front side with an annular recess 17 to receive said ratchet gear; Pivoted in therecess 17 of the gear 11 is a pawl 18 hich normally engages-the teeth of the gear 16, said pawl being held in engagement with the said gear by a spring 19 as shown.

The hub 15 of the gear 16 is provided with a square bore '20 with which is engaged the outer shaft 21 the inner'end of which'terminates ashort distance, from the outer end of the engineshaft 22. On the inner end of the shaft-.,2'1.is arranged one member 23 of a.

clutch connection, the opposite member 24 ofwhicl is arrangedon the adjacent end of it-hej engi-n'e shaft whereby when said crankg'ingshaft is shifted rearwardly, said clutch finemb'ers will be brought into'engagemcnt and the crankingshaft 21 thus operatively "connected with the engine shaft IThe cranking shaft 21 is shifted to bring its clutch member into engagementwith the clutch member on the engine-shaft by a plates 8 and 10 portion of a short cranking scribed. The cylinders 1 and 2 are arranged in hor'zontal planes one above the other and. space a suitable distance apart. The inner I end of the cylinder 1 is suitably secured-5n the upper end OfSS 8. Them is secured in a.:.

socket 9 on the lower end of an inner gear form of rack bars which are adapted to enof the gear 11 whereby when the pistons are v to the upper end-oiwhich. a wire cable 23 which extends vconnected to operating lever d. The calterend of; the ed to he lever 25 by a 27 which will permit further nentof the operating lever after the lever has been actuated to bring .iutch members 23 and 24 into engage nt,

the radiator of the automobile and at a aurehle position on the shaft is secured collar 29 between which and the end of J casing is arranged a coiled spring 30. I thus arranging the spring 30 the same will be compressed when the shaft 21 is shifts ri or drawn back by the cable 27 to ene the clutch-member thereof with the in member 24 on the engine shaft so that y :en the cable 26 is released, the extension said spring 30 will force the cranking outwardly, thus disengaging the clutch her on the inner 'end thereof from the h member on the engine shaft. The

seed and projects beyond the spring casing erehy the crank shaft may be manually ac uated for cranking the engine shaft when desired or, if for any reason the automatic cranking mechanism has become disabled.

In the rear side of the cranking gear 11 is an annular recess 31 in which is-arranged a spiral spring 32 the inn it end oi which is secured to the hub of the gear 11 and the outer end of which is secured to the adjacent inner side er"- the inner gear supporting plate 10 whereby wl'ienthe ratchet gear is turned by the cranking gear in the proper direction for crankin the engine shaft said spring will be wound up When the air is released from the cylinders land 2 and the pressure or the rack bars on the cranking gear is thus removed, the spring 32 will uncoil and in thus uncoiling will turn the cranking gear back in a reverse direction thereby-running the rack bars 14 and the pistons 13 back into the cylinders. In this retracting movement oi the cranking gear 11 the pawl 18 will play loosely over the teeth of the ratchet 16 as will be readily understood.

In case the engine should back fire and to avoid any liability of breaking or damaging any at the parts of the operating mechanism by a retrograde movement of'the engine shaft before the air has from the cylinders of the cranking mechanism, I provide means for throwing the cranking gear out of engagement or connection with the ratchet on the engine shaft, said mechanism comprising a stud 33 arranged on the inner side of the outer gear The cranking shaft 21 extends forwardlyrough a casing 28 arranged on the bottom 'trols the admission of the air ard end of the cranking shaft 21 is reto receive a wrench or crank handle been released intense supporting-plate 8, said stud projecting inwardly in the path of uioven'lent of the said gear is U movement or the engine shaft and ratchet 16, the pawl will-be brought into engagement with the stud and will be thereby raised and disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet, thus disconnecting the'la tter from.

the cranking gear and permitting the engineshaft and ratchet to revolve without turning the cranking gear.

In orderto control the supply of air to the cylinders 1 and .2 for operating the pistons 13 and. rack bars 14, I provide a suitable air controlling valve comprising a cas ing 34 which is connected at its lower end by a branch supply pipe 35 to a main air conducting pipe 36 leading from a cornpressedair tank or reservoir 37 arranged in a suitable position in the automobile. In the casing is arranged a valve seat 38 with which is engaged. a valve 39 which conto the valve casing and air conducting pipe 6 which is connected by the branch pipes with the outer ends of the cylinders 1 and 2 as hereinbefore described. The valve 39 is normally held in engagement with its seat 38 to cut oil the passage of the air to the pipes 6, by a coiled spring 40 which is arranged in the lower portion of the valve casing 34 and engages the lower side oi": the valve 39 as clearly shown in Fig. ings. The valve 39 is provided on its lower side ith a. short valve stem 41 which works in and is guided by a guide tube 42 arranged in the lower portion'of the valve casing 34 and which is surrounded by the spring 40 as shown.

On the upper side ofthe valve 39 is an upwardly projecting stem 43 the upper end or which is of tapered or conical shape to'provide an exhaust controlling valve 44 which projects into and is adapted to be engaged by a valve seat formed in the lower end of a valve operating plunger 46 which is slidab-ly mounted in the upper portion of the valve casing 34 as shown. The plunger 46 is provided with a central bore 47 the lower end of which communicates with the valve seat and with a lower discharge port 48 in the lower end of the plunger, and atits upper end said bore comn'lunicates with an air discharging passage 49 in one side of the upper portion of the plunger. The lower portion of the valve 39 work in an air chamber 50 formed in the central portion of the valve casing 34 and with which is connected the open position by means of a coiled spring 5 of the drawthe plunger 46 and the stem 43 of 6. v The plunger 46 is pawl 18 of the cranking gear whereby when r turned backward bv the reverse the valve casing 34.

5t arranged on the upper portion of the plunger between a shoulder 52 formed there on and a stufimg box on the upper end 01 When the parts of the valve mechanism in i the casing34 are in their normal positions as just described the inlet or passage of air from the-reservoir to the air conducting pipe (5 leading to the cranking cylinders is cut off,

while the open position ,of the discharge ports in the plunger 46 permits the air from said cylinders to escape th'rough'the bore 47 of the plunger. Then it is desired to admitair to the cranking cylinders for the purpose of operating the cranking shaft, the plunger 46 is depressed against the pressure of the spring '51. In the initial movement of the plunger, the valve seat 45 in the lower end thereof is brought into engagement with the valve4-4 on the up er end ofthestem-43 thereby closing the exhaust port 48 and the bore 47 in the plunger. The further down.- wardly movement of the plunger forces the valve 39 downwardly out of engagement with its seat 38 therebyadmitting com.- pressed air from the air tank or reservoir 37 through-the branch pipe 35, said air passing througlrthe chamber 50 in the valve casing 34 and into the pipe 6 through which it is conducted Ito 'the branch pipes 5 and by the same is conducted to theouter ends of the cylinders 1 and 2 where it acts upon the pistons to project the same and the rack bars outwardly in said cylinders thereby actuating the cranking gear and parts connected therewith. as hereinbefore described. As soon as the engine shaft has thusbeen cranked, pressure is released from ,the plunger 46 whereuponth'e' spring 51 thereof will immediately lift the plunger, thereby allowing the spring 40 to close the air inlet valve 39,. Then the piston is thus lifted the valve seat 45 will be disengaged from the valve 44 and the exhaust port 48 thus opened thereby permitting the air in the cranking cylinders and air conducting pipes 5 and 6 to escape through the bore 4'? and upper exhaust port 49. lVhen the air has thus been released the spiral spring 32 of the cranking gear 11 will revolve said gear in a reverse direction thereby forcing the pistons 13 and rack bars 14 back in the cylinders as has been previously described.

In order to permit. the plunger 46 to'be depressed by the operator when desired, I

extentas shown. The free end of the lever.

54 when thusarranged is in po siti on to be engaged by the lowerarm ,57, of a bell crank lever 58 which is suitably mounted beneath the platform or bottom of the automobile. The upper arm of the bell crank lever is extended or has arranged thereon an upwardly, and-rearwardly pro ecting treadle bar 59 whichflworks through a suitably arranged slot in the platform of the machine and has on its inner end a foot treadle 60 adapted to be engaged by the foot ofthe operator whereby the bell crank lever will be'rocked when said treadlle is depressed, When the bell crank lever is thus depressed the lower arm 57 thereof will be brought into engagement withthe downwardly curved free endof the plunger depressing lever- 54 thereby forcing said-lever and plunger, downwardly and opening the air inlet valve 39 and closing the ekhaust. valve 44 as hereinbefore described. lVhen the bell crank lever 58 is ac mated by the foot treadle to open the air controlling valve, the movement of the arm 57 of said lever will pull laterally upon' the operating cable 26 attached to the-shifting lever 25 of the cranking shaft thereby actuating said lever to engage the clutch members of thecranking shaft and engine shaft simultaneously with the opening of. the air. controlling .valve. As hereinbefore stated the arrangement of the spring. 27 in the cable 26 will permitfurthermovement of the arm 57 of the bell crank lever 58 for the purpose of opening" the air controlling valve .'and performing its other functions. I V The' foot treadle 60 and bell crank lever- 58 in addition to opening the air inlet valve 39 and actuating the shifting mechanism ofthe cranking shaft also simultaneouslv actuatesa priming mechanism for forcing a priming charge of gasinto the cylinders of the engine. The priming mechanism comprises an air pressure cylinder 61'which is suitablv arranged'beneath the machine and has slidablvjmounted therein a piston 621 having a piston rod 63 proie'cting through- The outer end of one end of the cylinder. the piston rod 63 is'connected by a link or connecting rod 64 with the lower arm 57 of the bell crank lever wherebv when said lever is rocked by the foot treadle 60. the piston will be forced back in the cylinder 61 thereby forcingv a'charge of air from-the cylinder through an air conducting pipe 65 to a vaporizer 66 which is connected by 'agasolene supply pipe-67 to a gasolene supply tankj68, arranged on the machine as shown.

.the vaporizer on thenext projection of the piston;

.Thecylinder 6 1 is provided with an'air intake port in whichis arranged a check valve iii The vaporizer 66 may be of any suitable constructionand the same together with, the air and gasolene supply pipes leading thereto, are provided with suitable valves for controlling the flow of gasolene and air therethrough. The vaporizer is connected 'by a gas conducting pipe- 70 to a suitable distributing device 71 which is connected by a series of valved fuel distributing pipes Tito the'cyliiiders of the engine.

In order to maintain a supply of air under proper pressure in the air reservoir 37, I provide a suitable air pump 73 which is shown conventionally in,Fig. 1 of the drawings and is connected by-air conducting pipes 74 with the air conducting pipe 36 leading from the air reservoir as shown( The piunpTQ-l may be operated in any suitable manner but is here shown and is preferably driven by a suitable operating mechanism comprising a shaft- (5 which is operatively connected at one end with the pump and'is provided on its opposite end with a friction gear 76 adapted to be shifted into engagen'ient with the fly wheel 77 on the drive shaft 78 of the engine.

Having" thus described my invention, what I cla'iniis;

1. In a starting" device for explosive engines, detachably connected plates formed with bearing openings, gear receiving? recesses and cylinder receiving sockets, tluid pressure cylinders arranged in said sockets and projecting in opposite directions, a

cranking shaft, a gear operatively arranged thereon and disposed in said recesses of the plates, and pistons in said cylinders provided with racks engaging said gear at opposite points.

In an engine starting device-the combination of opposiiig plates detachably con-.

nected together and formed with bearing openings, gear receiving recesses" and cylinder receiving sockets, uid pressure ,cjylin ders arranged in said sockets and proJecting in opposite directionsin difi'erent planes, a ratchet wheel having a hub rotatably' for admitting fluid under pressure to said cylinders. i

3. In a starting device for explosive engines, the combination ofa tluid pressure operated engine cranking mechanism, a

clutch for connecting the same to the engine shaft, a valve for controlling the inletof fluid under pressure to said cranking mechanism, a lever for operating said-valve, a priming cylinder containing a' piston for forcing the priming charge to the engine cylinder, and a foot lever adapted to have one end engage and operate said valve operating lever, a link connecting the foot lever to the rod of the piston in the priming cylinder, a leverfor operating said clutch, and a yieldableconnection between said clutch lever and said foot lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. HERBERT L. MEEDER, W1 t nesses Crisis. NiciioLson.

E. E. Lax-Bow. 

